So many questions, but I have not enough time
by Lonely Little Creeper
Summary: ReUploaded!)) Can my questions be answered? Can I escape Dimitri? Does Lissa remember me? I want to save Dimitri but I want to be with him. Forever this time.
1. Where the bloody hell am I?

I woke with a start, sitting up quickly and gave myself a headache (even though I already had one, thanks to _him_). I scanned the room in a defensive manner, then swung my aching legs off the bed and stood up.

I wasn't quite sure where I was, but I was pretty sure that I wasn't supposed to be here. I walked to what I think was the wall, and traced the wallpaper until I found door hinges. I yanked open the door and stepped out.

It was brighter out in this hallway than the bedroom, and I blinked, trying to get the adrenaline in my veins to start waking me up. The windows were tinted darkly; no sunlight was coming in from them, usual Strigoi behavior.

Following as casually as possible, I stepped down the stairs into a living room. A flat screen TV hung on the wall, an entertainment center pushed directly below it. A wooden chair stood lonely in the corner, but three couches were pushed against the walls. And speaking of the walls, they were bright and lively, the yellow making it look as wide as possible.

Picking up the chair, I smashed it against the tinted windows. But, it did no damage, and I smashed it again. Over and over I did, and I came with the conclusion that the windows were Plexiglass, or some sort of material that was strong enough to withstand weaponry against it.

"Rose." I heard his voice, warm and sweet. I spun around, chair in hand. He looked just as I remembered him in the last seconds glance. Except, his eyes. Blood-red eyes that were one of the only physical changes in Strigoi.

Absentmindedly, I swung forward with the chair, but he pushed it aside, the chair legs cutting into my hands. I bit my lip and reached for the silver DVD player that was plugged into the wall. My mind was telling me to stop, to listen to what Dimitri had to say. But, I didn't. I pulled it from the wall and charged at him.

"Rose, really?" He asked quietly, knocking the DVD player from my shaking hands. In the same motion, he pushed me aside and held me against the wall, pinning my hands by my sides.

"You … aren't… Dimitri." I spat, struggling against him frantically. He smirked, a smirk that didn't quite fit him. _Rose, he isn't the Dimitri you used to know. He's bad, a Strigoi now. _I thought, trying to remind myself of this terrible happening that I couldn't prevent, nor could anyone else.

"Rosa, if I wanted you dead, I would've gotten rid of you by now." He said, and I shivered-from his ice cold hands or the use of my old nickname, I wouldn't ever find out. "Now, if you don't stop struggling, I'm going to have to tie you up."

I shoved uselessly. "Why are you doing this?" I asked quietly. "Why, Dimka?"

His eyes narrowed, and pressed forward on my wrists. "Why were you following me, Rose?"

"I had to see you, one more time. To make sure it was true." _What a lie! _I scolded myself.

"I came here to get away from you." His grip had loosened a bit, as if he didn't trust me. _mart, quick, and lively. Just like it used to be._

"Well, you probably didn't realize that I'd be here." I rolled my eyes and pushed him off of me.

"Why did you come here?" he asked as I leaned against the opposite wall uncomfortably. I toyed with my words as I spoke.

"Because you hit me in the head and dragged me here." I told him. If I was going to die, I was going to do it The Rose Way.

He didn't reply, but only made his way over to the couch and sat down. "You are welcome to sit down, if you'd like."

"I'm alright here." _Keep lying, and surely he'll be able to tell, Rose!_

"As long as you're here, your welcome to anything is this room, and your bedroom." I growled quietly, but quickly covered it up with a loud cough. He noticed, and asked, "What?"

"You make it sound… luxurious, maybe?... when I'm being captured by a Strigoi."

"You'll need to keep your head on straight while you're here." He mused casually, drumming his pale fingers on the white couches. How I longed to tell him that I loved him, to say that it was a mistake, to tell him that I missed him.

But, I couldn't, and I sighed at that thought. He was a Strigoi, and Dhampirs and Strigois did not make a good combination. As long as we were different… Ah, well, I couldn't think about that now. Dimitri was right; I needed to keep my adrenaline in my veins going and pumping.

The airlock door beside me opened, and two figures came out. The first was a plain human with her brunette hair tied into a ponytail, trailing down her denim jacket and white tank top towards her sweat pants.

The second was a man, a Strigoi, with his blonde hair sticking up everywhere. He had a black shirt on, and a winter coat flung carelessly on his shoulders though he didn't need one. He wore light jeans with a large tear on the side near his shoes, which were white and grass stained.

"Who did you bring this time, Dimitri?" The man laughed, pushing my chin up to inspect me. I shoved his hand away, and his eyes narrowed into slits. I could tell he was somewhat surprised by the amount of strength that could come with someone standing five foot four.

"Leave Rose alone, Nick." Dimitri snapped, and he rolled his eyes and strutted out the door, murmuring to himself unclear words. "Rose, this is Nai." He gestured to the woman, who was setting a silver tray on the coffee table in front of the couch beside me.

"Hello." I said, and she glanced shyly at me.

"She doesn't speak much English, but she'll be able to figure it out." He stood up and stretched unnecessarily. "I'll be back later."

"Don't get hit with sunlight." I smirked, and he shot me a Don't-make-me-come-over-there-and-hurt-you-Rose look. I shrugged as he walked from the room. This was going to be a long day.


	2. Why can't you leave me alone?

I sat myself down on the couch and looked at the tray that Nai gave me. Ham and Cheese sandwiches were stacked about a foot high, and a paper napkin stack was put beside them. I started piling them onto a napkin and put one to my mouth.

_Rose, If I had wanted you dead, I would've gotten rid of you already. _His words rang through my head, even though it had been thirty minutes ago. Maybe he held affection to me like I him! Maybe…

_Rose Hathaway, Dimitri is a Strigoi. _"Strigoi." I repeated, sighing out loud before taking a bit of the sandwich. What was I doing? Enjoying a snack in a Strigoi's house, while my boyfriend… I mean, ex-tutor was outside as he slaughtered innocent people?

"There isn't anything I can do." I reassured myself. "I wonder what Lissa's doing…" and I forced myself into her head.

Lissa was sitting on the end of her bed, Christian sitting beside her as he rubbed her knee. Pain and sadness shot through her –us- as I racked through her thoughts.

"I can't believe he's dead!" Lissa wailed, throwing her mascara-covered hands around him and pulling him close. "He was the only thing that reminded me of Rose!" Someone… died?

"It's alright Liz." Christian coaxed, kissing the top of her head. "Just calm down, I'm sure everyone knows by now…"

"They should!" She sobbed, trying to be angry at him, but failed to do so. Who died?

"They can replace him, I'm sure." He said, blinking his eyes absentmindedly. "After all, he was really old."

"But I loved him!" She sobbed, curling up in his lap. "I loved that old cat."

I fought my way out of her head, and swallowed the bite of ham and cheese. We had a cat? I never remembered taking the cat with us when we came back to the Academy several years ago.

The airlock door came open and Nai came in. "Crap!" I hissed. I should have been waiting to pounce on Nai when she came in, not dropping tabs on Lissa! _Two mistakes, Rose. One more and your outta the game. Except, its not a ballgame. Only when you're out, you die. I hope not._

Nai said something in Russian and pointed to the empty tray. "What?" I asked, but then said, "Oh, no more." I waved my hands in the air in an Out way that they did in games.

She shrugged and plopped down a napkin full of brownies. I smiled at her, and then as she turned to leave, I tried to watch the combination to the air sealed door. But, as always, she blocked it very well like Dimitri did.

I shrugged like Nai had, and picked up a brownie. Taking a bite, I racked my brain for the chocolate taste. "Devil's Brownies." I laughed. "My fav…" Of course, Dimitri would know.

After a while I realized that the food Nai was giving me was hand food that didn't require anything that could be in use of a weapon. That didn't matter, only that the food was good and it wasn't poisoned.

After my stomach complained no more, I laid back on the couch. I was exhausted already from the shock. I tried to stay away, but I dozed, my eyes falling shut. I felt this falling feeling, and I opened my eyes.

It was a garden, full of life and plants. The sun felt hot against my skin, and I looked around. "Adrian! I know you're doing this." Adrian walked out in jeans and a T-shirt, his hair bedraggled and greasy.

"Whoa, hold on, too bright.' He murmured audibly, then the sun disappeared and the plants withered, the animals that were prancing in the grass melted into a puddle of nothing.

"That's horrible!" I said, but then laughed as he did. Adrian had affection for me, and I could tell, and he knew I knew about it. So, he did what everyone did when I found out. He flirted.

Well, Him being a Moroi and all didn't help me any. I loved him more than anything or anyone (Besides Lissa and Dimitri), but I knew how Moroi guys liked to flirt and flirt until he lured the woman into his trap. After a while, though, the Moroi guy left and let the woman be brokenhearted.

My mother hadn't been that way, though. Jeanie Hathaway was a tough, bad-ass girl that could take on anyone or anything at anytime of day. I swear that she had eyes at the back of her head! But anyways, she fell in love with some Arabian, Thai, Irish guy and was lured. But she was never broken, so when he left, she pushed me off into the Academy and forgot about me. End of story.

"Well hello beautiful." Adrian said, sitting in the dead grass beside me. I sat down next to him and rolled my eyes, but I did like to flirt.

"Hello Gorgeous. You know, it isn't fair that you keep melting the sun." I told him, and he laughed airily.

"Well, if the sun was there, I'd be in so much awe with you that it wouldn't matter."

"Aha, sure." I replied, waving him off with my hand. Silence fell after that, and I felt the tension build up.

"Tell me where you are." He whispered. I knew that this was a bad idea.

"I can't, I told you before."

"She misses you." It hurt, and I could tell the reason he said it was because of that.

"It's a mission and you know I can't tell you."

"Please." One word, and it set me off.

"Why can't your just listen?" I snapped. "All that matters is that I'm alive, and _I don't need your help!_"

"Rose, are you looking for Dimitri?" Panic sped through me, as I fumbled to get up.

"I told his family, and I'm not even in Russia now. There, happy?" I asked, gritting my teeth together. "_It doesn't matter. _Now send me back!"

"Rose, please…"

"Send…Me…Back!" I yelled, and I felt the same falling feeling as I was pushedback into the present.


	3. Why did I punch him?

I heard a rustling of papers, and I sat up. Dimitri sat on the other couch across the room, a western novel in hand. A pile of clothes were stacked beside me on the table. Slowly, I reach to them and flipped through them. A silk dress, no wait, make that several silk dresses. On the bottom I found a lace bra and underwear, and I frowned.

"What, you don't like them?" I heard Dimitri ask, and I dropped the bra I was holding disgustedly in hand.

"I'm not going to play dress-up with you, Dimitri." I snapped, gesturing to the scattered clothes. "I'm here to rescue you!"

He laughed, and that only made me more furious. "What do you mean? Rescue me? Roza, Roza, Roza. It's better being Strigoi. Everything is sharper. The smell, it unbelievable. Taste, touch, hearing! Rose, everything is better than a Dhampir. _Everything._"

"You listen here, Belikov." I growled, standing up and walked to him, fuming mad. "You're _dead. _D-E-A-D. Dead! You don't have any soul in you! No normal thing lives forever."

He stood up to, and I winced slightly. He was yet taller than me, even more now. I saw annoyance in his eyes, but his voice was soft. "Feel this, Roza." He grabbed my hand, and I pulled back. But not before I felt his pulse.

It was like any other pulse, only more loud and violent. But it didn't seem real. Did they lie to me at the Academy? Were Strigoi alive, only with no soul? What the hell was a soul, anyways? Some ghost-like thing that floated around after people died?

"Living people are warm." I mumbled, pulling my hand back so hard I cracked it. No pain floated through me, but I leaned over and moaned loudly, as if I was in pain. Dimitri, too, bent down and tried to get a look at my wrist.

I really wasn't hurt, but I really wanted to punch him. And I did. I stood straight up and punched him. It wasn't the best idea, though.

This time, numbness spread and my wrist started to swell. "Oh, my god." I murmured, squeezing my wrist tightly and I started sprinting toward the stairs.

"Why did you punch me?" Dimitri called, following me with great ease. "Why?"

"Karma." I mumbled, stripping the drawer of its contents. I found a package of wraps, and I frantically started trying to open the package with one hand.

"Here, let me do it." He offered a hand to me, and I reluctantly handed him the package. He ripped it open and unraveled the tan ace wrap and helped me wind it around my swelling wrist.

"Thanks." I mumbled, pulling my hand away from his the moment he latched the end together. I stood up and sat on the back of the bed. Dimitri sighed, and flitted to me. I put my hands up defensively, but he wrapped his arm around my waist and laid inches above me, half on the side and half on the top.

Most of me wanted to shove him away and remind him he wasn't 'My Type'. But there was a small longing in my heart for him; one that I knew shouldn't be there. "Dimitri."

"Yes?" With his free hand, his pushed the hair from my neck.

"What do you want with me?" I asked, and instantly scolded myself. I sounded frightened, nothing more than a 5 year old whimpering about chocolate or when I was five years old, getting to know about Strigoi.

"I want you to join me. I want you to become Strigoi. We can be together, forever this time."

"Forever." I repeated as he leaned down and met my lips carefully. I closed my eyes as he kissed my jaw and down my neck. I felt his fangs graze slightly against my skin, and I gasped out, "No, Dimitri."

He looked up, and stared into my eyes. "But you want it, don't you?"

"No, I mean, maybe a little, but I don't want to be Strigoi now!"

He half-smiled, and said, "Oh, no, don't worry. I'm not turning you yet."

"Why not? I thought you wanted to be together. Forever." My voice cracked at 'forever'.

"Roza, I'm giving you a choice. Your pride stays with you if you choose to."

"Then, what are you doing now?" I asked, pulling back as far as I could.

"Just drinking. Just a little bite." He smiled, luring me in, and then leaned back down. I closed my eyes, preparing for knife-stabbing pain. And boy, did it hurt.


	4. Why is he demanding?

The bite hurt at first, but then it was bliss. Like falling into the sky, if that was even possible. All I saw were neon colors flashing in my sight, and I felt a cold hand wrap around the other side of my neck. _So, this is what a Strigoi bite feels like. Not so bad._ I thought.

Too soon, though, it ended. The colors started to fade, and I found my vision. Blurry as it was, I caught Dimitri wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and let me fall back onto the bed. "That was amazing." I mumbled hazily, and he laughed.

"Of course it was." He whispered, and added, "Get some rest, Roza." I smiled numbly and clutched at his shirt.

"Stay, please." I begged. Wait, what was I doing? Asking a Strigoi, a _**Strigoi,**_ to stay? How long was Dimka drinking from me? What did my neck look like? Was this a dream, or reality?

"Oh, I don't think I should." He groaned playfully, but he laid behind me, pressing his body against mine. Only, that what a think he was doing. I couldn't feel anything, really. Only the coldness from him through my T-shirt.

I began to feel tired, and each time I blinked it felt like I would never open them again. Dimitri must have noticed, because he sang;

_Oh, My sweet Roza_

_Just fall asleep, I am here._

_You have a couple weeks,_

_The Decision is near._

_You can be with me forever,_

_But for now, Dream._

_Just Dream._

"I love you." My voice faltered, and I drifted into sleep. My own dream. The dream about us.

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When I woke, Dimitri was already gone. I sighed to myself, and stood up. Only, I leaned against the wall for support. _I guess I'm hung-over from the bite. Damn you, Dimitri, and May I be damned with you. _I thought, stumbling to the stair case.

I thought I heard a creak from downstairs, and I called, "Dimitri?" When no one answered, I slid down the banister as gracefully as I could and landed with a _thunk_ in a pile of clothes. "Oh, well, I better change."

I grabbed the clothes in one hand, and with the other I held the stair railing and climbed up, taking three steps at a time. There was no telling when he would be here, and I wanted to be ready when he did come.

Going into the bathroom and rifling through the clothes, I pulled out underclothes and laid them aside. I stripped off my socks and threw them in the bathtub. Next, I laid out the dresses and other accessories. The most casual one was a green sweater, and even that was too formal for my liking.

"Oh, well." I mumbled, picking an aqua blue dress that slanted at the knees. A thin, dark blue bow was attached loosely, but I tugged it off and tossed it into the pile. I pulled off my jeans (which were caked with grime and dirt) and dropped it with the socks. "Man, they sure do keep this place clean."

"Rosemarie?" I heard someone call, and I quickly stripped of my hoodie, shirt, and underwear.

"Hold on, I'm changing." I called through the door, and for extra measures, I clicked in the lock. I snapped on the bra and briefs, replacing the T-shirt and jeans for the blue dress. Making sure the floor was clean; I unlocked and opened the door.

"Rose, please come here."

"I asked you to hold on." I hissed. _Hush, Rose! _I scolded myself. _It's only PMS. Nothing else. _I felt sick suddenly, and I stumbled to the floor. I was used to Dimitri's nausea, for whatever reason. Who ever was down there was not Dimitri.

"Roza, I'm waiting." I heard that Strigoi-That-Isn't-Dimitri call. I stopped walking, and slowly started backing up the stairs.

You aren't Dimitri." I whispered to no one. It wasn't like I expected Dimka to race up the stairs with a bottle of cologne, laughing –or maybe scolding- me. But, maybe in subconscious mind did, because I was racing up the stairs.

I collided with the bed, and cursing to myself, I slammed the door shut and fumbled with the silver lock. What was happening to me? I growled at myself, and kicked the dirt-filled shoes across the room. Why couldn't he make the decision for me?

_No, no, no! Rose, if he made the decision, you'd already be immortal. _"Oh, God." I choked, tripping across the room to the heating duct. The disgusting smell filled the room, suffocating me into the corner.

"You aren't safe." Several voices said in my head. "Get out while you can!" I covered my mouth and nose with my sprained hand; with the other I clutched the small silver ring that was tightened on my ring finger

"I can't!" I sobbed, "I can't get out!"

"Rose!" Dimitri rushed to my side, taking both hands in his. "Roza, are you okay?" I winced in pain as his grip crushed the bone in my left hand-the sprained one.

"They're coming. Coming to get me." I whispered, and he gave me a You-don't-look-so-good-because-you're-hearing-voices look.

"Who? I swear, Rose, I'll rip them apart, limb from limb." He rubbed small circles into the back of my right hand, his sweet daring smell replacing the awful stench of before.

"I…I really don't know. Voices beheaded from their bodies." I murmured, leaning on him for support.

"Were they scary?"

"Of course! If you heard voices in your head, I'm pretty damn sure you'd go crazy, too!" I snatched back my hand, standing up and walking toward the living room.

Dimitri, on the other hand, was as calm as could be. He stood up and stalked me (no surprise) to the same couch. "Watch something with me." It wasn't a request, it was a demand.

"I don't want to Dimitri. PMS is catching up to me, and you don't want me to spazz out on you, I'm sure." He shrugged off my words, and pulled me into a laying position. "Dimitri, really, I don't want to."

"Too bad, cupcake." Naturally, I started fuming.

"Shut up." I hissed through gritted teeth. "Leave me alone, Strigoi." I shoved his arm off angrily, standing up to move. But, as always, Dimitri wanted to be the Alpha, and he snatched the back of my dress. "Let go!"

"Nope." I tugged against him, but in fear of tearing the precious material, I didn't pull too hard.

"Well, I'm just going to stand here. I'm not lying down with you."

"I don't think so." I felt his hand reach up the back of the dress and finger the edge of the bra.

"Dimitri, I swear, stop it!" I growled, reaching back to pull away his groping hand. He somehow managed to keep from my reach, and he trailed slowly down, stopping at the arch of my back.

"You are beautiful, Roza." _Rose, don't believe him! Wait, no, believe him, but don't get all… fuzzy. I don't know, Rose, just don't responded!_

"Thanks." I responded, but spun around. The dress ripped right below my ass, and it brushed against my thighs. "But, you listen here, Comrade. You don't play Barbie Doll with me, because I'm not here to have sex with a Strigoi."

His eyes narrowed slightly, and in an instant, I was backed against the yellow wall, Dimitri boiling in front of me.


	5. Am I being replaced?

I couldn't help but flinch slightly. No, scratch that whole thought; I put my arms up and pressed against the wall. Much to my distaste, his eyes were like to red balls of fire with the fury that fumed in them. It felt like centuries before Dimitri broke the silence. And it wasn't how I expected ether.

He was laughing. Laughing, of all reactions! I lowered my arms down, but my rage burned through the roof. "It isn't funny." I growled, taking a step toward him. Not that it matter, though. He was at least a head taller than me, and far much stealthier.

"What's so funny, Roza, is that I can't be upset with you!" He chuckled, and I blinked my eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, sounding like a small (human, mind you) child being told that their bike was broken.

But, he couldn't answer. He wouldn't, and tears threatened to spill. I wasn't easily upset, and when I was, it was pretty bad. I shoved him from my path, stumbling into the first post of the stairs. Hearing him quiet down wasn't much of a reassurance.

_Rose, time is now. You can't say here. He's playing with you, and you sense it. He wants you as a Strigoi._ I heard my thoughts tell me, and my absentminded heart played along and argued. **Well, how am I going to destroy him? I haven't gotten a stake, not even a splinter of wood!**

My mind didn't answer. Maybe they were too scared. Maybe it knew it; I couldn't get to Dimitri without a stake. And if I fought against him… well, after my meeting with Natalie the Strigoi a few years back, I wasn't going to go against someone who gained strength over months.

"My God, Rose!" I hissed at myself, and kicked a wooden crate across the room. It bounced slightly off the impossa-glass and shattered into pieces unusable. "I need a plan."

I was too exhausted. Why was it that during my training I was always hyper after wards? Oh, right, cause training doesn't match up to the real thing. I forgot.

I flopped into bed, not even bothering to change. I sighed into my pillow. _I wonder what Lissa is doing. _**Well, dumb-ass, go check.**

Lissa and Adrian were in the Library, Christian no where to be seen. It was empty except for her, Adrian, and a few flickering lights here and there that refused to turn off. "I don't understand how you compel people!" Adrian groaned, rubbing his temples gingerly.

"How do you do it? Make dreams, I mean." She asked. Her headache –if not a migraine- was pounding, as if making it deliberately hard for me to hear her thoughts.

"I don't now, really." Adrian wasn't being sarcastic for once. Woo Hoo- Let's applaud him.

"You make it sound easy." She slammed the small book shut, and it slid off her lap. Closing her eyes, neon flicks of yellow, green, orange, and several neon colors that I couldn't describe popped in front of her.

"Touche." He must have seen her confused eyes, and added, "Vise Versa." She yawned, and he stood up and stretched. "I think its time we get out of here."

"Touche." She murmured, smiling, and Adrian nudged her stomach playfully.

"That was my word." He mumbled as he pushed open the two metal doors. "Oh, shit. Busted." A girl around Lissa's age stopped suddenly in the hallway, looking around nervously.

"If you promise not to tell, I won't you." The trio all said it at once, and an eruption of giggles spread throughout them. Rolling my eyes, I tried to pull out of her head, but I was stuck.

"Hi. I'm Lissa." Lissa said, for she had never seen this girl before. She stepped into the light, and I saw her completely. Slim body and pale skin determined she was Moroi, and jet black hair contrasted with herself. She seemed very conscious about everything.

"I'm Avery, and yes, I know your Adrian. Royalty, remember?" He looked sober suddenly, and a spark of annoyance caught me off guard, as well as Lissa. Annoyance was Adrian's number one class; He gave it, but never received it. "You're Vaslisa… The last Dragomir!" She jumped up once, clapping her hands.

"Yes, but I prefer to be called Lissa."

Aver peered into her eyes. "Do you specialize?"

Lissa hesitated. _If I tell her, would Rose be mad? Yeah, she would be. Better not… _"Yeah. I specialize in Spirit."

Avery looked broken for a moment. "Oh. I don't."

"That's alright isn't it, Adrian…" She turned to Adrian's empty spot, and shrugged. "Wanna meet and eat lunch together? Tomorrow?"

Aver took a step back, and I could almost feel her blushing. "Well, oh, um… I don't know, but uhh, sure." Lissa smiled, and I shrank back into my own body.

Who is this girl? Will Lissa shove me from the picture and replace me- bad-ass, protect the Moroi against Strigoi, Rosemarie Hathaway- with Avery –a small, bitch-like girl and was a paper doll, threatening to fall apart if cornered-? Who the hell did she think she was? I swear to God I was going to go back and beat the shit out of her…

Pain surged through me. _Oh, yeah, you forgot smart one. You're_ trapped. _With a Strigoi. In Russia. Who couldn't figure that out?_

I heard the door open and close. Sighing invisibly, I stuffed farther down into the soft fleece blanket and let warm sleep tide me over.


	6. Why did the mirror room scare me?

The dream was dreamless – thank any Lord there is, though I'm doubtful – but it didn't feel like sleep. It was more… unobvious thinking while gaining energy. I could pick out some, such as 'Why does Dimitri have to be such a bitchy Strigoi?', but others were- c'mon, Dimitri language – unrecognizable.

Images crept into my mind. At first they were unclear like the thoughts. But then they blinked on, as if someone turned on a flashlight in your eyes. The first one scared me (why should I feel scared), mostly because of the implement. It was a convoluted root, twisted in so many ways it was impossible to tell what it belonged to.

The second one was a room of mirrors, the only thing not a mirror was a huge fireplace one side of the room. If I was awake, I knew I would scoff at it. Why did this mirrored room bother me?

The last one was a video clipping. It was the front of a building with Windows as big as Dimitri. A blur appeared, and a small whimper was choked out of her.

Startled, I sat up with much force. "Roza, did you have bad dreams?" I jerked my head to my right were Dimitri had spoke.

"My God, Dimitri." I breathed, shoving the blankets off of him. I felt hot and sweaty, even though the room was supposed to be cold. I pointed to the door, and he looked at me, puzzled. "Out. I'm changing." He flitted out the room, a blast of cool air flowing toward me. I took a deep breath of the wafting air before I returned to my sweat-covered self. What was happening?

I shrugged, tugging off the aqua dress I apparently fell asleep in. Thinking for a moment, I stripped of my undergarments, just for safety. I rooted through the wooden bureau and found a pair of bleached sweat pants – excuse the pun – and a strapless gray shirt. Matching? No. Comfortable? Yeah.

I felt my forehead before turning the knob on the door. The thought pounced unwillingly into my mind again; what was happening? Nausea swept through me, and I knew this wasn't a Strigoi alert nausea. Covering my mouth, I sprinted to the bathroom down the hallway.

I spat the vomit out. It was more disgusting than usual because there was no color. Or sound. Well, no sound coming from me, anyways. I thought I as done, but as usual, I was wrong. The plasma liquid-type stuff gushed from my mouth.

The smell was terrible. Worse than normal. It was like sewer and sweat mixed together. And the after taste was no better. Ever poured Gasoline down your throat and lit it on fire? Well, of course not –anyone wouldn't survived if they had, I suppose. But I could be wrong… - but I'm implying that that's what it feels like.

"Rose? Are you okay?" Dimitri came to my side and patted my back with one hand, and with the other he held my bed worthy hair from my face. I gripped the toilet seat with much force. It was a wonder how it didn't break, but it survived.

"Do I look okay, jackass?" I spat, shoving away his hand. I couldn't let my defense drop down, although it was falling faster than bricks.

"I shouldn't have asked." He smiled a crooked smile, the same one that would've warmed me up from the insides out. But this wasn't even a smile. It was a smirk – or should I say, a smile from a Strigoi- that was spread across his face.

I grumbled at him, shoving past his thin, cold figure. _Cold. _Why did it take me this long to notice? He was cold, and I was hot… Bingo. "Can you get me a thermometer?" I asked, my tone changing suddenly. I was trying to be as sly as I could, to get him to realize my temperature was hotter than usual.

"Sure. Tylenol too?" he gestured seriously to the unflushed toilet, and I blushed scarlet.

" 'Kay." I mumbled, looking at my feet. Be serious Rose… you blush when he offers you medicine? "I'll be downstairs."

"I bet I can beat you." I laughed, despite my feeling, and pushed down the silver button that made the toilet water go down – Remember to look that up, Rose. Silver thing that makes toilet water go down.

"No bet." I mumbled, and I slide past him. I paused shortly after I reached the stairs, reaching up to my forehead. Nope, I really didn't feel good. Swaying slightly, I gripped the railing and stumbled down, two at a time.

"I win." I heard Dimitri call from the Living Room.

"Oi! Shut it!" I growled, really not in the mood. He sniggered as I jumped down to the bottom, almost missing. _Ha-ha, it would've been funny if I missed! _My mind spoke so I wouldn't have to say it out loud, and truthfully, I was thankful.

Handing me the small, white stick, I shoved it under my tongue and signed for Dimitri to hush. Seconds turned into my minutes. I crossed my eyes, and with a smirk/smile from Dimitri, I read the gray box. _102.7. _IT beeped, and I handed it to the impossible Strigoi.

"You're really bad." He gasped, pushing it into the case. Tossing me the Tylenol, I swallowed the two gray pills without water. It stung for a couple seconds, but then it felt lie I had a lump in my throat.

I fixed my gaze onto Dimitri. He was pacing around the room, and suddenly he stopped. "Lay down, Roza." His voice was quiet, simple, and soft. If it wasn't for his blood-red eyes, I would've dropped dead at this comment.

"I'm fine, really." And if to deny me, several sweat beads dotted my hairline.

"Rose, on the couch. Now." I shuddered at his tone, but shook my head. If I let him force me to this, I might as well be a small puppy following him around, fetching and doing as he pleased.

"No, I'll be okay."

He did the unpredictable.

He grabbed my shoulders and forced me on the couch. I fought back, naturally; I waved my hands frantically around. He found a way to avoid them, and pinned my arms to my side. A defensive part of me wanted to throw him off of me. But a soft, untrained, pathetic part that reminded me of humans wanted to surrender.

But as cheerleaders say, Big D wins. I rolled over, pulling him with me. A moment of shock piled on his face, and a moment was all I needed. I sat on his thighs –not where I wanted to sit, but, whatever – and pressed down on his wrists. "Do NOT, Lemma repeat, do NOT touch me." I hissed.

But I was yanked. Hard, and by my hair. I cried out in pain, and I think I accidentallyc kicked Dimitri. He didn't acknowledge it if I had. I elbowed the person behind me, and they grunted. They didn't expect much power, and I ducked from their grasp.

"Stop it." I moaned, wrapping one hand around my stomach as it flip flopped from the excitement. "I have the flu. Stop, please." I scolded myself for sounding weak, pitiful even.

"Rose, stop fighting us then." He leaped toward me, which was a mistake. I put t he other hand in front of my face, and he shoved them aside. And then, I puked. All over Dimitri.


	7. Why is Lissa being mean?

I gaped in horror at Dimitri. My mind was nagging me, as always. But a small satisfaction bubbled in me; _Ha ha, serves you right Dimitri._ The awkwardness in the silence was almost death giving.

"What the…" I heard Nick gasp, and I fought the urge to laugh. Dimitri slowly got up to realize what happened.

"Rose, why did you puke on me?" Seems childish, right? Wrong. I can understand why Dimitri sounded… weak? No, no, wait… more like helpless. What was done is done, and you can't undo it.

"I told you to stay off of me and what did you do? You went for me again. Means of self defense, per Se." I waved my hand in front of me, which earned me a thick scowl from the Strigoi.

"Rose, you're dead." I thought he was joking, but maybe just a little as he lunged for me. I dodged him easily, and scrambled up the stairs. My heart pounded in my head, which made me distracted from my mission; Get away from the angry Strigoi.

I squealed nervously as I slammed into my bedroom door. Pain sprinkled into my torso and face, but I pushed it aside like I did the door. Locking it, I jumped back as Dimitri also slammed against the door.

In my best announcer voice, I boomed, "And the score, folks, is Dimitri-Zero and Rosemarie-Two!" I giggled and collapsed on the bed. Crazy? Yeah… Dead? Definitely positive.

"Roza, open the door!"

"Nope." I called, and pushed my face into the pillow. "Oh, wait, Lissa. Crap." And plunged headfirst into her mind.

"Hey Avery!" Lissa's hurried whisper made Avery jump up.

"Hey Liz." She smiled a smile too broad to fit her face. "Lookie lookie! Adrian is gonna love it!" She held up two bottles of a liquid toward Lissa's face.

"Come in." Lissa beckoned her inside, and Avery did as she was asked. "Adrian's in the kitchen."

"Hey Avery!" Adrian called, and Lissa shut the door with a quick look out the hallway. A feeling that someone was watching us –her, I mean- quickly flickered. She shrugged it off. _Eh, it was nothing!_

"So, what did you bring, Ave?" Ave? _Lissa_, I wanted to scream, _she's messing with you!_

"Oh, My gosh! Don't you know?" Avery waved the bottles in front of her again, and Adrian snatched one.

"Xavier's party?" Adrian hissed at her, and she smiled innocently.

"You stole these?" Lissa asked, and Avery shrugged.

"Hey, it's only two bottles. Ain't nobody gonna miss them." She laughed, and then took off her sweater. It was a pale colored spaghetti strap shirt, and Lissa looked down. Booty shorts, of course.

"But…" Lissa started to complain, but then look at Avery. "Yeah, you're right. Nobody is gonna miss them."

"Lissa, I love alcohol too, but I wouldn't steal these."

"Oh, Adrian! Stop being such a wuss." Avery snapped. "What's two bottles compared to fifty?"

"I was at that party, and trust me, there were not fifty. More like ten." Then he added, "Or eight, I suppose."

"Adrian, either you like it or you leave." When did Lissa start being so rude? I mean it's natural for me, but Lissa? Unheard of!

"Well, bye," Adrian turned to leave, but Avery wrapped her fingers around his wrist.

"Oh, don't go." She smiled, and for a moment she looked cute. Sexy, maybe, if through a male's eyes. "We'd miss you."

"I have to go." He tugged his wrist from her, and stalked away. Avery, looking defeated, stuck out her lip and crossed her arms.

"Well, where were we?" Lissa asked, popping open one of the bottles. In disgust, I pulled away from her.

**Author's note: Sorry It's so short. I had to have a conclusion for the vomiting incident, and I needed Lissa dissing Adrian for alcohol. Please don't hate, just review :/**


	8. Is this my chance?

I hate being trapped in a small area for long periods of time. It isn't so much claustrophobia, but more like 'Surrounding Anxiety'. I have to be able to look at new items, or my brain malfunctions.

So here I was, trapped in a small room, knowing that a rabid Strigoi was out to get me. Even as a Dhampir, I knew that if I opened the door, I was dead. Isn't that hard to understand, really.

Now, along with Surrounding Anxiety, I had lack of food and water. I don't understand why I was counting these off; it was only making me more jumpy than normal. But, hey, look at the bright side. I wouldn't have to be made into a Strigoi if I died, right?

"Rose, just open the door!" I heard Dimitri growl from the other side. I felt a smirk slither across my face.

"No." I heard him growl again, a sound that should've made me scared. But, it didn't. My time was up, and Dimitri started pounding on the knob. I heard something crack, and the smirk dropped and hit rock bottom. I swallowed loudly, and slowly made my way to the bed.

I crawled in and pulled the covers over my head. The knob clonked on the ground, and Dimitri smashed the door open. His eyes were wild, checking every crook and nanny without moving. Shrinking down in the covers, I held my breath.

"Roza, you can't hide forever." His voice sounded soft and warm, but it didn't reach his eyes. If they weren't visible I would've came out. But his eyes were hard and shallow. Unlike Dimitri. The Real Dimitri. At this thought, I shuddered. His eyes caught the movement, and he bounced to me.

I took a deep breath, and shot my hand out to his. Pulling myself up to him, I murmured, "Lissa's dying to know where I am." I willed my eyes to tear, and surprisingly, they did.

"Lissa? Oh, you mean Vaslisa." His mouth turned down at the corners. "Where is she?"

"Montana. At the Academy." I sighed out as a pile of emotions flooded to me.

"Who's with her?" He asked. _Dimitri, you're so gullible. You forgot your favorite lesson; never let the enemy know your weaknesses._

I shrugged. "Christian and Adrian. They're still on my case."

"And by 'case' you mean…"

"When you kidnapped me." I finished for him. He glared, and his eyes started to fire up. "Kidding, Kidding! It's whenever I left to tell your family about you."

"Rose, I need to ask you something. No Rose Way. Just the honest to God truth." He eyed me, and I threw up my hands. I was starting to get a headache again, and I'm pretty sure he forgot about that vomit situation.

"Okay, what?"

"Well, it's hot in here. Let's go downstairs." He put an ice-like arm around my back and hauled me off the bed, whipping me in the air to land in his other arm.

"Dimitri," I gagged, "that isn't the best way to do it."

"Yeah, I forgot…" I rolled my eyes and squirmed from his grip.

"Just forget less." I mumbled, taking three huge strides to get in front of him. I was still a little bummed about the height thing, and if I told Dimitri, surely he would just laugh.

He chuckled much to my distaste, but slid down the banister ahead of me. Frowning, I felt the banister. Rope- and leaf-like designs wrapped convoluted the wooden poles, for grip maybe. It would sure hurt, however, if I slid down and missed the one curve.

_Wait, why am I being this observant? Obviously, something about this house makes me more attentive than normal. _I hopped up on the starting pole, and pushed myself off. A wind was suddenly there, whistling in my ears and brushing my face and hair.

I laughed suddenly, a laugh that didn't quite make its way to my heart. More like those panic attack laughs that people get. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, and I regretted it.

"Roza, watch out!" Dimitri called as I flew off the banister. _Shit! _I thought. _I missed the bend! _I was thrown off, and I threw out my hands to stop myself. Dimitri still called my name, cursing Russian words here and there. If the present wasn't happening to me right now, I'd laugh at him. But, of course, I didn't.

I slammed into the wall, and a force made my arms snap backwards painfully. Gravity had made me fall a little lower than if I just flew out straight across, but it made the ending event even more of a fail.

I fell to the ground, and I felt my chest rise and fall in a rhythmic pattern. Up, down. Up, down. The world spun a bit, but I think it was because of my nausea. "Rose, are you hurt?" _Good choice of words, Dimitri. 'Are you okay?' wouldn't be appropriate, considering I just had my arms thrown backwards as I slammed into a wall._

"Uh, I think not." I replied, dazed at what had happened. Gingerly, I twitched my fingers and toes, and then sat up to bend the rest of my joints. "Err, yeah, I didn't sprain anything."

Dimitri sighed, "That's good. Do you want anything to eat?"

"No, no, I'm fine." And if to deceive me, my stomach growled louder than I thought possible. Dimitri looked at me, then stood up from his crouching position.

"You can come with me." He gestured to the airlock door, and I followed his gesture to it.

"You mean, out in the kitchen?" He nodded. "Well, of course!"

He chuckled and lent out a hand to me. "I never knew you would be that excited for a kitchen!"

I blushed, putting my head down and staring at my feet. "I just need new surroundings." He pulled a couple fingers through my hair; a move that made me feel plain next his sexy, god-like body.

"Everybody does after awhile." He wrapped his right arm around my waist, pulling my body in toward him. Pulling me suddenly behind him, he covered my eyes and I heard a _beep _of the numbers being entered into the keypad.

The door whooshed open. Dimitri uncovered my eyes. This was it. I had a chance to escape.


	9. How can I stall him?

I wasn't really interested in the hallway, as pretty as it was with lined up photos of different Moroi, Strigoi, Humans, and Dhampirs. A small bed side table stood in the hallway covered with mirrors and two unlit candles. I was more interested in any windows or doors without the damn password or pchlexiglass. Dimitri held me tightly, his grip suffocating me. But I didn't care. I needed to keep him close in case some opportunity wound knocking on the door.

"You Strigoi sure do make sure everything is in place." I said, breaking the comfortable silence between us. I had to distract him, so I had more time to think.

This comment made his lips twitch upwards. "Do you doubt our decorating skills?" I shrugged, and he pressed his icy lips into my hair. "I don't own this place. Madeline does."

I pulled back slightly to look at his face. Not once did he mention 'Madeline'. "Who's she?"

"She's a Strigoi. I persuaded her to let me keep you for awhile." The seems binding my heart tugged at the thought. "That reminds me; we don't have much time."

"For what?" I laced our fingers together as we reached a wooden door.

"The Change." He said simply, and I shivered as he pushed open the door. _The Change, _he had said.

"How long…" The rest of my sentence dragged because we reached the kitchen. It was quite simple: A few counters lined up by the wall and a fridge standing in the opposite corner. Appliances sat on the counter and the stove in the middle of the counters.

"Oh, a week or two." He shrugged and pulled away from me. "Hungry?"

"Very." I bit my lip as a plan started to unravel in my mind. If I could get him to make me something on the stove, I could somehow push him on and turn the stove all the way up. As he tried to get off (I would keep pushing him on, if possible) I could grab a carving knife and stake him. Simple, no. Heartbreaking, yes.

"-Or maybe I could cut you an apple. Take your pick." He said, looking up at me from behind the fridge.

"Oh, well, I was wondering if you could make me something like grilled cheese." He drummed his fingers and held my eyes.

"How many?"

I looked down at my feet, and then met his eyes once more. "Maybe five." _Staller! _My mind poked, and If ought the urge to believe it.

He chuckled quietly and pulled out cheese packets and bread slices. "More than very hungry. More like starving." I forced a smile to form on my lips.

"Do you have any hair grips?" I asked, trying hard to let my hair fall in my face.

"I'll have Nai come later and put a packet or two on your dresser." He looked at me as he stood up from retrieving a pan. "You've never worn them before, why now?"

I stammered for an excuse. "Well, when I was with your family,-" He grimaced slightly, "I started wearing hair grips."

"Oh." His mouth twitched at the corners, but turned around and placed the pan on the stove. "What else did you do in Russia?"

"Well, I saw the places we've talked about. Beautiful, really. Then I met an Alchemist." It was my turn to grimace. "Sydney was her name. She worked for my father, which I also met. _Zmey, _they called him." Dimitri motioned me to continue. I slid next to him, heaving myself onto a counter and launched into my story about staying at a night club, finding the vampire hunters, interrogating the other Strigoi, and finally how Adrian wouldn't stay from my dreams.

There was a moment of silence as Dimitri soaked up the story. "How's Princess?" I made a face at his back, but then slid closer to the stove.

"Well, she met a girl. Avery, the call her. I don't think she's good for Lissa." He glanced at me, and I added, "She stole from Xavier's party the other night, and Lissa went with her. I personally think that there is something fishy going on, if you know what I mean."

"I can imagine how hard it is." Dimitri nodded and patted my knee. He set down the spatula after he flipped the burning sandwich. "I love you."

I swallowed my fear. This was it. The moment I was waiting for. How I would miss Dimitri, his sexy body, his voice, everything. I put my hand on his shoulder and left the other on the counter, closer to the knife stand. "I love you too." I blinked, and then shoved Dimitri.


	10. Am I just a dummy?

For whatever reason, the push caused me serious pain. Not in my shoulder, though. Nor my chest. But my side. It was searing, and it took me a second to realize that I was lying on the ground. Someone was screaming, a horrible sound that filled up the room.

"Roza!" Dimitri was groping my shoulders, shaking me violently. "Roza? Roza!" His face was pale, even for a Strigoi. The pain was still erupting from my waist, and my fists were clenching and unclenching. He hadn't seemed to have heard the scream.

"Dimitri?" I managed to choke. Pain garbled at my throat, closing it, making it hard to breathe. He stopped shaking me, but now rested his hands on my chest, unmoving.

"You son of a bitch." Dimitri growled, turning to someone. "You're damned to hell." He continued in Russian, and I opened my eyes just enough to see Nick, hands up, backing toward the hallway.

So. Nick saw what I was about to do, and he stabbed me in the side. Great. Just what I needed.

Cool hands traced the gushing wound –which was probably dirtying the floor with rust-smelling blood. "It'll be okay Roza. I promise."

I closed my eyes, which were tearing with water. "Don't make promises you can't keep." I whispered. "You won't be able to keep this one."

"Nai, come." I opened my eyes again and saw the frightened little human timidly step forward. I felt Dimitri sit on my stomach and pin my arms up above my head. "Pull this." He gestured to the knife in my waist.  
"Dimitri, no." I frowned, struggling against his grip.

"It'll hurt Rose." He shrugged lightly. "But I'm keeping a promise."

"I don't want you to…" My sentence was finished by a cry of pain. I dug my heels and nails into the tiles floor. "Make it stop." I cried.

Dimitri rubbed his hand across my hot face. "My love, you survive." He had let go of my wrists, and I glared at him.

"But I know someone who won't." I mumbled. My head started to get dizzy, and I don't think I could live much longer with loosing much more blood. "And I'll need to dress this wound."

"Nai's hurrying." Dimitri told me, and he picked me up. I looked down at the floor and almost blacked out. Red ooze was spread across the floor in an exact copy of my right side. "Okay, maybe we should get another person." He added.

I smiled a small smile. "Well, all this action has made me hungry. Blueberries, maybe?" He chuckled, and then set me on the dining table.

"Blueberries, then." I curled up in a small ball despite the pain.

"I wonder what Adrian's doing." I mumbled to myself, and I drifted to sleep.

It was Dimitri's house. Everything was the same, except Adrian sat on the couch. "Hey." He said, but then his jaw dropped at the sight of me. "What the hell?"

"Oh, crisis." I explained, taking a seat beside him.

"What type of crisis?" He frowned, but then snapped his fingers. "I know. You're going emo." I cracked a smile.

"No, not even close." I patted his knee. "But knives are kinda sharp."

"You stabbed yourself?" He raised an eyebrow. "Well, folks, we couldn't stop her for long. She must have wondered what her enemies feel when she stabs them."

"Oi, shut it." But I laughed, leaning against him.

"Do you know when you're coming back?" I side glanced him.

"Adrian, please don't start. I came here to relax." His fingers twitched slightly, as if was going to turn the switch off on the dream.

"Stan is still wondering when he can give you a DT again." He informed me, lacing his fingers through mine.

"Yeah, I bet everyone is sad that I left. Everyone enjoys a broken nose." I playfully punched at him. "I bet everyone is happy that I left."

"Not me." He punched me back in the arm, and I tried not to grimace.

"Well, you see me all the time." I turned my head towards his, and rested my chin on his shoulder. "And touch."

"Oh, Rose." He let one of his hands rest on my thigh, and it electrocuted me with energy. Silence fell between us, and I realized something.

Being in love with Dimitri was hazardous. One false movement and it could shatter. One of us could get hurt, badly. But yet, we still managed to keep it up.

But it wasn't love. It isn't. It's more like the pressure of the weight. And for him, it's just being a Strigoi. Testing his strengths and weaknesses. I was –am -just a test dummy. Nothing more than a twig under Dimitri's feet. He could break me, or keep me.

And Adrian? I was in love. True love. I wasn't a twig to him. To him, I was more. More than just a test dummy. I was his equal. We were meant to be.

If I choose Adrian, there was a lot of weight there. I'd be part of the royals. I'd have children. I'd risk my sanity. I could loose him. And worse; I'd risk loosing Lissa.

"Adrian, what if I told you a secret?" I asked, watching his face carefully. He turned his face towards mine, pulling back a hair to study mine.

"Don't worry, I'll keep it." He grabbed my hand and wrapped his fingers around it.

"What If I told you…" I broke off, looking at the quiet fireplace across the room.

"Told me what?" He used his other hand –the one not holding mine – and held my chin, turning my head towards his.

"I love you." I whispered, barely audible, and I leaned into him, meeting his lips.


	11. Did I hit my head too hard?

I met his lips, and I have to say I was a bit frightened that I'd be rejected. Adrian seemed surprised at first, his hand moving from my fingers into the air. I held my eyes open to his, hesitant to close them. But, Adrian closed first.

His hand wrapped around my tangled hair, curling it into small ringlets around his fingers. His other hand slid onto my back as if he thought I'd slip away. My skin was electric to his touch, and you could practically see the sparks streaming from it. _Katy Perry, you were right. Fireworks do come from my skin. _I thought solemnly.

"Rose, if only we were face to face." He breathed in my ear. His breath smelled faintly of alcohol and mint, but I ignored it. Relief washed through me that I wasn't making a foolish move.

"We are." I said, a smile sliding across my smug face. I turned to face him as carefully as I could without breaking the sparking kiss.

My efforts were for nothing. Adrian pulled backward, using one hand to stop me from following him by pressing against my collar bone. "What about Dimitri?" He tried to cover a small sneer in the name, but not before I caught it.

"Adrian, I'm not going to date a Strigoi." I stuck out my tongue. "That's dirty. Worse than letting a Moroi drink from a Dhampir while having sex." I frowned at him disapprovingly. "You should know me by now."

"Yeah, I should." He replied, giving me a shrug and dropping his hands. "I guess no one underestimates you. Maybe over-estimate." I laughed at the thought of everyone thinking I was with a Strigoi.

The dream started going fuzzy, like a signal interrupted from a satellite. "What the hell?"

"Someone's trying to wake me up." He looked at me with a dazed look. "I think its Lissa."

I sighed and looked down at the floor. "I miss you." My words were rushed together, just in case the dream ended.

"Turn them into I love you." He smiled a crooked smile that made my heart melt. "I'll you later, okay?"

I pecked his cheek. "Okay. Love you."

"Love you t-" His words were interrupted by me being jerked awake by Dimitri.

He sighed in relief. "Good. You don't have a concussion." His mouth twitched. "Not that I expected you to have one."

I gave a shaky laugh. "No, I was with Adrian."

"Problems?" He guessed, and I shook my head.

"Nah. He's charming, actually." All my will power went into not laughing at the sight of Adrian wearing a tux and not drinking.

"Sure, sure." Dimitri helped me sit up and handed me a bowl of sugar coated blueberries. "As you asked."

"Thanks." I looked down at the once-bloody wound and raised an eyebrow. It was a pink wrap that held my stained shirt to my body. "Pink?"

"Only thing we had."

"Sure, Sure." I repeated his words, and he shot me a look. I popped a blueberry in my mouth and chewed slowly. I watched Dimitri as he pulled out a white container with the word _Bleach_ Scribbled on the side. "Aw, Dimitri! You should let me do that."

"You're in no condition to get up." He shot me a side glance.

"Oh, well, my blood, my clean up."

"Rose, this is your warning. Next time you're going upstairs."

"You're not Janine Hathaway." And after a second thought I added, "Or _Zmey._"

"Rose."

"Yes, sweetheart?"

He dropped the mop he was holding and scowled at me. "Shut up."

I waved him away. "You know me. Once I start talking, I can't stop."

"Hey!"

"Alright, Alright. I'll shut it." I gestured to my mouth and pulled the 'key'. He picked up the mop without taking his eyes off of me and watched as I shoved a handful of blueberries into my mouth.

"Okay then." He said at last. I finished up the sugary berries, and then set the bowl aside.

"I'm going to visit Lissa, okay?" He looked at me with some annoyance, but I think it was just me.

"Okay. Only a couple minutes, though. I don't want you having a concussion."

"I didn't hit my head!" I protested, but he held up a hand.

"I don't want to hear it." I pouted for a couple seconds, but then forced my way into Lissa's pretty little head.


	12. Can I fight for my life and Lissa's?

Lissa was in a small room with three other people; Adrian, Christian, and another male in the seat across from her. He was shaven neat against his deathly pale skin. His lips were bright red, just like the color of his eyes.

He was a Strigoi.

I screamed at Lissa to get out. But it didn't work for two reasons. One was that I couldn't give her my thoughts. Another was that she was bound tightly against the chair along with the other two.

"Let me go!" She hissed, struggling against her bindings. Her hands were placed together on the back of the chair. The man merely laughed.

"My name is Tyson, and I need a favor done for me."

"Over my dead body." Christian growled from behind, and Lissa rolled her eyes. Tyson chuckled lightly and made a show of his pure white fangs.

"Exactly. You see, as a Strigoi, we never die. But we can get sicknesses." He peered at all of them. "I have one and it's terribly painful for me."

"You deserve it, old man." Adrian commented, and Lissa shot him a look.

"Oh, shut it." Tyson waved him off, and then continued to explain his situation. "Anyways, I need you two to heal me."

"What about me?" Christian shouted. "Why did you Moroi-nap me if I control fire?"

"Because, dim wit, you're her boyfriend. If I let you go," He pointed a finger at him, "Then you were bound to look for her. I can't let that happen."

"So it's not because I'm a royal?" He whimpered, and Tyson nodded.

"But you only need one of us." Adrian reasoned, and Lissa gave him a frightened look. "So let her go and keep me."

Tyson laughed airily, and Lissa shivered. "You're so stupid! If I let her go, she's bound to tell."

Lissa swallowed loudly and peered into his bloody eyes. "Tell me where Dimitri Belikov is."

"I- what?" His eyes turned watery and the redness smothered. Lissa was beginning to feel weak, and I could tell she didn't drink in a while.

"Tell me where Dimitri Belikov is." Her voice was sweet and sugary, and I could feel the silk in her tone.

"Russia."

"Where in Russia?"

"North."

"Tell me more."

_NO! Lissa, don't do this. You'll get yourself hurt!_

"No clue."

"You know. You do know. Don't lie."

_LISSA STOP!_

"No, I promise."

"You're lying." She pressed on harder so hard that sweat beaded her neck and face.

"I swear! Kill me if I'm lying."

"You are."

Tyson clutched his hands together and fought against her. "No, no you're using compulsion. They warned me. I can't let her get to me."

_Lissa, please stop. It's life threatening._

"Oh, It's okay." Adrian said, combining his compulsion with hers. "Just tell us."

"And unbind us."

"No… wait… AARRGG!" Fire erupted on his shoulder.

"Christian, love, stop." Lissa turned over her focus, and he let the fire go out.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" Tyson screeched, completely surprised.

"It's okay. Unbind us and we'll tell you everything."

"No, you're too dangerous. I have to take you to Madeline."

_Madeline? Lissa, stop him! _But of course, rule number one took place. She can't hear my thoughts.

"Rose, wake up." Dimitri shooed me back into my time. I looked up at Dimitri.

"Do you know a Strigoi named Tyson?" I let Dimitri rub small circles into my hand as Nai came into the kitchen with a white bandage.

"Sure. He turned me." He shrugged it off, and then helped Nai carefully pull off my shirt. He apparently wasn't embarrassed that I was in my lacy bra.

"Well, Tyson captured Christian, Adrian, and Lissa."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Well, what happened?"

"Well, they were talking and –Owwww!" Nai wasn't as careful. She constantly dug her fingers into the wound as she unwrapped the pink bandage.

"Nai! Осторожны, глупые сука!" I picked out the first word, which meant 'Careful' and I think the second one 'Stupid'. The last one I was going to ask Dimitri.

Nai hung her head and tugged off the rest of the bandage. She threw the white one at Dimitri, and turned on her heels out the door.

"It was okay. It wasn't her fault." I patted Dimitri's hand and grabbed the white roll from him. "I'll do this."

"Miss Independent." Dimitri whistled, and I elbowed him in the ribs.

"Oh hush." I scowled at him and started winding the tacky roll around my waist. "You have to be independent if you're tutor turns into a Strigoi."

"Oh, Touche!"

I glared at him and clipped the ends of the bandage together. "You know, I'm determined to stay alive."

"You are."

"I mean in two weeks. When you decide. I'm not going to turn without a fight."

"And a lovely one you're fighting."

"You know what I mean." I looked at my dangling feet. "I think I'll go upstairs. I'm getting tired."

"Okay, I'll carry you"

"No, I'll walk. You can come lie down with me, though." I used his shoulder to help me get down, and I swayed on my feet.

"Careful."

"Get a better vocabulary." I murmured, stepped cautiously so I didn't break anything with my momentary klutziness.

When we were upstairs, I turned and faced him. "I'm going out, but I'll be back later." He closed his eyes and leaned into me, as if for a kiss. I raised my right hand and swung forward.

My hand connecting with his face for a backhand, and a deafening crack surprised me. It wasn't my hand, or his face. But either way, I flexed my fingers.

"That's for changing into a Strigoi." I hissed, and then slammed the door on his face.


End file.
